A Deeper Sabbath Restores More Fully

Editor’s note: Yesterday, we shared an excerpt of the brand-new Weekly Rest Project. You can read it here and enjoy this devotion.

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When you enter the land which I am going to give you, the land will observe a Sabbath to God. Sow your fields, prune your vineyards, and take in your harvests for six years. But the seventh year the land will take a Sabbath of complete and total rest. — Leviticus 25:2-4 MSG

This edict from God to let the promised land observe a one-year Sabbath to God was probably confusing to the Israelites. After all, a whole year off from planting crops and tending the land must have felt threatening to their food supply. But God knew something that the Israelites didn’t: even the land needs rest. Constant planting and growing uses up all the nutrients in the soil, until eventually crops won’t grow or growth will be stunted. A year off from growing allows the soil to be replenished.

If time off for replenishment is necessary for something as basic as soil, we, with our incredibly complex bodies and minds, need the same.

Observing a Sabbath each week is crucial, but we need more rest than that.

Taking longer stretches of time off is important to help replenish ourselves. Seasons where we work less and rest more can help immensely.

If you could take a sabbatical, what would you do to rest and replenish yourself?

How can you incorporate some of those activities into your existing periods of rest, even if for just a weekend or holiday?

Intentional Rest

“Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. — Mark 6:31-32 NIV

Jesus had a lot of important work to do here on earth, arguably the most important work in history, but He often made time to rest, as we read about in the Gospels. Just as God set an example for us when He took a day to rest during creation,

• Jesus set an example for us about resting each day.

After spending time with large groups of people, Jesus took time alone to regain His energy and often sought out solitary places. After traveling, Jesus needed time to sit, and water to quench His thirst. Jesus didn’t work around the clock. He slept at night and took naps during the day. He shared meals with His apostles. He prioritized time alone to pray.

Jesus was limited by His human body here on earth, and He felt all the pangs and pains that come with that, just like we do. Instead of pushing past His own limits, Jesus very intentionally cared for His body, mind, and soul regularly, just as we should.

How do you intentionally rest and recharge your body throughout each day?

If you get overstimulated easily, how do you replenish your energy when you hit your limit?

Excerpted with permission from The Weekly Rest Project, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

What would you do on sabbatical? If you had no financial pressures, no work demands, no time restrictions, what would you do? What do you think would happen in your relationship with the Lord? ~ Devotionals Daily